Pingtan, the closest place on the Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan and a comprehensive pilot zone for cross-Straits integration, has become a hub of agricultural collaboration where a single drop of tea oil weaves bonds between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. This partnership has not only boosted local industry but also fostered shared prosperity through joint efforts. 

The cross-Straits tea oil story began in 2020 when Taiwan compatriot Li Junhong ventured into Pingtan's agricultural sector. At an agricultural product exhibition, a bottle of locally produced Pingtan camellia oil stirred his nostalgia—"In Taiwan, my family often uses camellia oil, and hand-pressed oil like this is a rare treasure," he recalled. He soon connected with Wu Zhengzhong, a local farmer who had returned to Pingtan in response to the call for overseas entrepreneurs to come home and started camellia tree cultivation.

Recognizing the similar geographical and climatic conditions between Pingtan and Taiwan, Li brought high-quality camellia seeds from Taiwan for trial planting on Wu's experimental field. To their delight, the varieties from Taiwan not only adapted well to Pingtan's soil and climate but also outperformed local strains. "Fifty kilograms of local camellia fruits yield about 8 kilograms of oil, while the same amount of fruits from Taiwan can produce nearly 12 kilograms," Wu explained. After two successful harvest seasons, Li officially joined Wu's Lvkang Agricultural Professional Cooperative to expand the industry.

Drawing on Taiwan's mature cooperative models, Li proposed a clear division of labor: "Cooperative members focus on growing high-quality camellia trees, while we oversee sales, technology, and brand building." This model has reassured farmers like Chen Xinhua, who said, "We hope to expand the planting of Taiwan's camellia varieties soon, so that our tea oil sells better and everyone's wallets grow fatter." Wu also aims to share successful cultivation experiences to attract more nearby farmers.

Beyond cultivation, the cooperative has extended its industrial chain into processed products such as camellia oil soap, body wash, lipstick, and oral essential oil. Plans are underway to expand planting areas and processing facilities, adopt e-commerce and live-streaming for sales, and collaborate with Taiwan's universities to introduce advanced farming and processing technologies.

Pingtan's deepening cross-Straits agricultural cooperation has yielded tangible results: 56 Taiwan-invested agricultural and fishery enterprises, 144 new varieties, and 12 advanced agricultural technologies have been introduced, with the region also designated a national-level Taiwan Farmers Entrepreneurship Park. This collaboration not only upgrades local agriculture but also strengthens understanding and friendship between cross-Straits compatriots.